Flybrid-Hope-Lehmann-Oreca LMP1

[knighty]

Saw this yesterday and thought you bunch might be interested, certainly some interesting images and an interesting read. Flybrid are now using their own clutch technology instead of the ToroTrack constantly variable transmission widget, which I bet will save them a fortune on licencing costs.

looks hard to believe that it will fit between the engine and gearbox when you consider they are using an I4 engine layout.......but thats what it says, I'm thinking it must be a 2-piece bell-housing???

I really believe this is the start of something good for Flybrid, this system really is very simple when compared to what Williams have done with Porsche, but strictly speaking thats not an apples-apples comparison - spec wise........even the Chief Engineer at Honda has openly stated in the press that its going to take 20 years for battery technology to reach a point where its performance and cost is acceptable for the mass market. Best of luck I say!

ps - I am in no way whatsoever associated with Flybrid!



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[Graham Goodwin]

Where was that piece Knighty?

[gwyllion]

Somewhere in the article it says RET = Race Engine Technology.

[knighty]

yup, the latest Feb 2011 edition of Race Engine Technology magazine which I subscribe to, see www.highpowermedia.com for more info, I dont think you can buy it in many shops as its quite specialist, not cheap either at £10 / $20 per edition.......as its a 74 page magazine, so that means everyone now owes me 13.51 pence each ;-).......if you are looking for more information, Ian Bamsey is the man to get hold of, he is the editor.

[Graham Goodwin]

Originally Posted by knighty

yup, the latest Feb 2011 edition of Race Engine Technology magazine which I subscribe to, see www.highpowermedia.com for more info, I dont think you can buy it in many shops as its quite specialist, not cheap either at £10 / $20 per edition.......as its a 74 page magazine, so that means everyone now owes me 13.51 pence each ;-).......if you are looking for more information, Ian Bamsey is the man to get hold of, he is the editor.

Thanks guys - I know Ian pretty well and will follow up

[knighty]

No problem, primarily if you are looking for a real scoop, I would get in your car and go doorstep Jon Hilton at Flybrid, I'm sure he will be only too pleased to have DSC do a feature on Flybrid and their plans for LeMans........Jon is very active in the powertrain press.

[gwyllion]

The whole hybrid system weighs sub 40 kg and the flywheel itself has a diamater of 200 mm and a weight of 5 kg.

[chernaudi]

Since the Lehmann engine is basically a VW road car engine modified for racing and Porsche's experience with the Williams F1 flywheel system, could this be in a way a toe in water exercise for Audi and their plans to field a hybrid version of the R18? Especially when you consider the VAG links and the flywheel system that's much lighter and more compact than the system that Porsche uses.

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Since the Lehmann engine is basically a VW road car engine modified for racing and Porsche's experience with the Williams F1 flywheel system, could this be in a way a toe in water exercise for Audi and their plans to field a hybrid version of the R18? Especially when you consider the VAG links and the flywheel system that's much lighter and more compact than the system that Porsche uses.

It's a completely independent and privately-funded effort from what I understand.

[gwyllion]

FYI http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...hytech-hybrid/

In order to be certified by the ACO, all hybrids must complete the 400-meter long trip down the Le Mans pit lane in full electric/KERS mode. Hope will get its chance on April 20, with lead driver Steve Zacchia handling the driving duties.

“There is a strategy that we’ll use and Steve is going to be very busy in the cockpit,” said Hope Racing technical director Andrew Sayer. “To drive it only on KERS, we have to have the gearbox engaged, but the engine de-clutched. So he’ll have one or two things to do, but he’s going to be trained for that.”

With the mechanical KERS, this rule seems rather stupid.

With a battery KERS this is quite simple because it is like driving on the starter motor and the battery can be charged beforehand.

[knighty]

you are completley correct and I'm really puzzled that hope will be forced to comply with this test, its stupid, it only really applies to electrical traction motor hybrids.........

[gwyllion]

For those who don't know the rules by heart:

To be considered as hybrid, an LMP1 car must be able to move along the whole length of the pit lane (minimum 400 m) at 60 kph using only the electric motor or the flywheel system. The test must be carried out for the homologation of the car in the pit lane of the “24 Heures du Mans” circuit. During the test, the energy used will be measured and after the test, the weight of each element of the energy recovery system will be checked and indicated on the homologation form of the car. These elements must equip the car permanently and must be at the weight indicated on the homologation form. A new test must be carried out for any weight modification of these elements.

To cover 400 m at 60 km/h (= 16.67 m/s) the hybrid system must be activated for 24 seconds. Releasing the 500 kJ energy stored in the flywheel (or battery) during that time means that the system will provide at most 20 kW. That should be enough to drive 60 km/h.

[gwyllion]

The Hope Oreca has a flywheel warning sticker: http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._1768982_n.jpg

The MIK Zytek has a high voltage warning sticker: http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._5198951_n.jpg

[gwyllion]

John Dagys reports on http://twitter.com/#!/johndagys/stat...46687834636288

Hope Hybrid did not complete pitlane test in KERS mode this week. Hope to do it soon, depending on ACO's scheduling

[joeb]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

For those who don't know the rules by heart:
To cover 400 m at 60 km/h (= 16.67 m/s) the hybrid system must be activated for 24 seconds. Releasing the 500 kJ energy stored in the flywheel (or battery) during that time means that the system will provide at most 20 kW. That should be enough to drive 60 km/h.

So am I understanding the rule correctly in that the ability to run on electric power alone down pitlane is so that the ACO can measure energy and component weight? From a safety standpoint, I would think that a car making no noise running down pitlane would be a hazard to all the crew/reporters in the pitlane during the race.

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by joeb

So am I understanding the rule correctly in that the ability to run on electric power alone down pitlane is so that the ACO can measure energy and component weight? From a safety standpoint, I would think that a car making no noise running down pitlane would be a hazard to all the crew/reporters in the pitlane during the race.

I think there's some kind of a buzzer whenever any vehicle enters the pits just for that reason. Besides, it's an open car, so the driver can just open his visor and yell at pedestrians

[tux]

Originally Posted by joeb

So am I understanding the rule correctly in that the ability to run on electric power alone down pitlane is so that the ACO can measure energy and component weight? From a safety standpoint, I would think that a car making no noise running down pitlane would be a hazard to all the crew/reporters in the pitlane during the race.

As far as i understand the test only needs to be carried out once for the car to be officially homologated as a hybrid.

[Livininthinair]

The point is for the ACO to confirm the car is capable of moving under its own (electric only) power, part of the rules for hybrid technology. Heres to hoping for a good test day for all involved.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by tux

As far as i understand the test only needs to be carried out once for the car to be officially homologated as a hybrid.

That makes sense. For some reason I thought that they had to run in the pitlane in electric mode during the race, but I didn't actually see that anywhere.

[gwyllion]

Sam Collins reports through http://www.mulsannescorner.com/newsmarch11.html

The Hope Racing Oreca Swiss HY Tech Hybrid is struggling to clear the ACO's hybrid inspection being carried out on the Bugatti section of the track.

John Dagys reports similar news on http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...test-notebook/

The roll-out of Hope Racing’s Oreca Swiss HyTech Hybrid was delayed, with the team only completing a shakedown at Magny-Cours earlier this week. It therefore didn’t give them enough time to make its scheduled certification test at Le Mans on April 20.

[gwyllion]

More on the hybrid cars struggle:
http://www.racecar-engineering.com/n...le-at-le-mans/
http://www.racecar-engineering.com/b...-observations/

A video of the Hope Oreca: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhZ8nx6V0Us&

[gwyllion]

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/a...-systems-kers/ contains more information about the Flybrid Clutched Flywheel Transmission (CFT) KERS solution.

[chernaudi]

And when you consider that Peugeot ditched plans to run the 908Hy4 at LM because of reliability issues, it's of little surprise to me that the smaller private teams are having hit and miss success with their hybrid systems.

[Tom908V12]

Between the AMR ONEs and the hybrid protos I fear more forfaits coming before the Le Mans race

[gwyllion]

Jan Lammers is back

Hope Racing has signed him for Spa: http://endurance-info.com/version2/a...ance-7033.html